Daimon Publishers
One day as I was busily clearing away a mountain of dishes it occurred to me how soon there would be another mountain of dishes to take its place. I began to imagine how many more mountains of dishes would follow this one in the course of my life and how many I have already carried away. This is a task that repeats itself with monotonous uniformity and is never accomplished for more than a moment, a task that will continue to repeat itself. My eternal dishwashing, it seemed true to me, is a labor of Sisyphus.
Upon further contemplation I became aware that for as long as I could remember the radio news reports have had a similar ring. The world problems continue to be discussed and debated without anything substantial ever changing. Even more monotonous than that is the format of reporting which always remains the same: Much room is always given to the tragedies in the world while little attention is paid to happy events.
I could see a connection between my kitchen task, eternally repeating itself and never completely finished, and the problems of humanity, which are constantly confronted yet always recurring. Of course I could turn my attention to the satisfaction that comes at the moment when the mound of dishes has been cleared away, and I could concentrate on the tiny improvements that can be discerned in the repetitious news reports. But on this particular day I was struck by the vision of eternal repetition. It was suddenly clear to me that there are an infinite number of things in life that are forever starting over, and that I'm always having to start from square one myself, particularly in those matters in which a change would be more than welcome.
Other experiences came to mind that correspond to this theme: The many times I have tried to explain the same piece of subject matter; my habit of approaching a problem from every conceivable angle until I think that I have figured it out, only to conclude later that I haven't yet defined it succinctly enough. So I turn it over in my mind once again, reformulate and describe it anew. Here too I keep starting from the beginning.
It was evident that dishwashing should be classed as a labor of Sisyphus. But the case of humanity's struggle with its problems, as expressed in the news, was somewhat less clear cut. Even less certain was the judgment of my explanations. Of course the questions asked may be strikingly similar, but the situations that give rise to them are often different, for something has changed. My personal struggle for a vivid expression or a fitting image also involves endless repetition, and the hope of only provisional success. But despite its connection with much that is "Sisyphean" I would not consider my expressive work simply a labor of Sisyphus, for much is in constant flux.
Then I began to think about people involved in a therapeutic process. There, too, one struggles constantly with the same basic problems. The same questions arise again and again, and the same peculiarities develop into conflicts. Many a client complains, "Will I never be able to overcome this problem?" and all but gives up his efforts in despair. On other occasions, however, and from another vantage point he realizes that though he continues to be occupied with the same problems, he can deal with them in a different way. When he first despairs the client is convinced that the work on his fundamental problems is nothing more than a labor of Sisyphus. Later consideration renders him much less certain.
This gives rise to the question: Does the Sisyphean experience lose its sense of toil when one succeeds in experiencing not only the repetition, but also the subtle changes? Or, do we use the label 'a labor of Sisyphus' at those times when we are either unable or unwilling to acknowledge change?
Clearly it is difficult to see anything meaningful in those labors of Sisyphus that involve nothing but repetition. For what is meaningful is the variation we can perceive by connecting them to a more inclusive frame of reference.
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Daimon Publishers